1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle air suspension systems and more particularly pertains to a new trailer suspension system for controlling the ride characteristics of a trailer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of vehicle air suspension systems is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,788 describes a system for lifting one or more wheels whose load-bearing capacity is not needed. Another type of vehicle air suspension system is U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,045 having an air suspension assembly that forms a substantially parallelogram shape for controlling ride characteristics of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,497,507, 5,332,258, 6,428,026, 6,398,236 and 6,073,946 each have an air suspension system coupled between a frame and axle of the vehicle for controlling the ride characteristics of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,957 has a compound spring suspension assembly for controlling the ride characteristics of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,841 has a auxiliary wheel apparatus for controlling the ride characteristics of each of the axles of a trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,221 has an air ride suspension using a leaf spring and an air spring to control the ride characteristics of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,949 has a trailing arm suspension for mounting to a longitudinally extending frame of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,630 has an air ride suspension that is coupled to the front axle of a vehicle for controlling the ride characteristics of the front wheels and axle of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,608 has an air spring unit that is positioned between the leaf spring and frame of a vehicle to control the ride characteristics of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 2,941,816 has a mounting assembly for mounting an axle to a frame of a vehicle that provides shock absorption for the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,801 has a pair of fluid distensible rollers that roll along a surface with the vehicle supported on the fluid distensible rollers such that the fluid distensible rollers conform to the surface to reduce impact to the vehicle.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that has certain improved features inhibiting damage to the air spring when the air spring is compressed.
The present invention meets the needs presented above by providing the distal end of the arm member of the frame mounting assembly with an area greater than the cross-sectional area of the air spring assembly in a normalized state to inhibit the air spring assembly from coming into contact with frame and be compromised when the air spring assembly is compressed.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new trailer suspension system that has side edges of the saddle portion of the saddle member that each have a concave arcuate depression for optimizing the welding area between the saddle portion and the axle of the trailer.
To this end, the present invention generally comprises at least one suspension assembly being designed for being coupled between a frame of the trailer and an axle of the trailer. The suspension assembly is designed for absorbing shock from the axle of the trailer. The suspension assembly comprises a frame mounting assembly being designed for being coupled to the frame of the trailer. An axle mounting assembly is pivotally coupled to the frame mounting assembly. The axle mounting assembly is designed for being coupled to the axle of the trailer. An air spring assembly is coupled between the frame mounting assembly and the axle mounting assembly whereby the air spring assembly is designed for damping movement of the axle mounting assembly when the trailer is traveling over a surface.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.